It also will bring jobs, businesses, opportunity. In a word: money.

"This [pipeline] will deliver the economic future to the region," Steve Wilson, manager of the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District, said Wednesday.

Wilson, along with managers from water districts in Washington and Kane counties and other government officials, huddled here to get a progress report on the planned pipeline, which would transport water 130 miles from Lake Powell to a reservoir in Washington County.

The state would build the pipeline and then contract with conservancy districts in Washington, Iron and Kane counties to repay the building costs, pegged at $500 million to $800 million.

The state also would set the price that could be charged for the water.

Eric Mills, deputy director of the Utah Division of Water Resources, said the pipeline would be the first big water project built by the state.

For now, completion is targeted for 2020, ahead of the 2035 end date anticipated for the proposed Bear River dam and pipeline in northern Utah.

Part of the $17.5 million allocated for water projects in Utah by the Legislature this year includes $5.6 million to hire HMW Global Inc. as engineering consultants on the Lake Powell project.

Marc Brown, project engineer for HMW, said Wednesday that engineering teams will study the pipeline plans, financing, environmental concerns, water needs and supplies, and the power expected to be generated by the project.

In 18 months, that information will go to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which will hire a firm to complete the environmental impact statement.

Ron Thompson, executive director of the Washington County Water Conservancy District, expects lawsuits opposing the pipeline. But, he predicted, if the environmental work is sound, the project will dodge the delays that plagued Legacy Highway construction in northern Utah.

Even so, pipeline skeptics and foes are out there.

Lin Alder - a member of the steering committee for Vision Dixie, a grass-roots group dedicated to determining how Washington County should manage its booming growth - said many residents argue for more conservation and less-expensive water remedies.

Alder warned that interest could push the pipeline tab to $1.5 billion.

"If people want to pay that much for wasting water," he said, "then so be it."

Alder also lamented that water's current low cost leaves little incentive for conservation.

Thompson countered that conservation programs are in place and emphasized that the pipeline is needed to meet the demands of expected growth.

"We can't afford to be shortsighted now."

mhavnes@sltrib.com